There is no objectively perfect logo. However, this is an attempt to get closer to it, an essentialist analysis of logo design based on Sagi Haviv. He is a reputable identity design specialist, having taken part in the design of numerous well-known visual identities.
According to Haviv,
“a logo is the period at the end of the sentence. It is not the sentence itself.”
A logo should not carry all the weight of its brand. It should not try to say a whole lot about the brand. In other words,
“a logo is not communication, a logo is identification.”
A logo needs to be three main things:
Appropriate
A logo should be appropriate in the feeling it conveys. For instance, a sports-related logo could feel bold and dynamic; in fashion, it could express elegance.
Distinctive
A logo should be distinctive and memorable. It should be unique enough to persist in the observer’s mind. A way to test for this is that someone who just saw the logo for the first time is able to easily sketch it on a piece of paper.
Simple
Less is more, a term used by many functionalist designers and architects, summarises this aspect to a great degree. A logo should be as reduced as possible. However, this has to be done in a way that still allows for it to be distinctive enough. This enables it to be reproduced in many applications and sizes without losing its readability.
“[It is] kind of the continuum on which we work […] between distinctiveness and simplicity, how special can we make it while still keeping it uncomplicated [and] how simple can we make it while not […] becoming generic.”
Logo design, like so many, if not all design disciplines, is a balance between appropriateness, distinctiveness, and simplicity.